Review: Otterbox Commuter for Pixel XL

Like its bigger brother, the Commuter shares a lot in common with the Otterbox Defender. It has the same design language, same port coverings and same cut outs.

The outer layer is made of a hard plastic, with little grip on the back, which can be an issue as the device is still pretty heavy. The sides are made up of mostly plastic, but the buttons have a soft rubber texture to them, which helps when holding the phone.

Ports and buttons work exceptionally well. I was surprised at how well the ports lined up with my phone. Pressing the power on button / volume rockers was also very easy.

It has a decent lip at the front of the phone, so if you’re one for laying your phone face down then this has you covered.

After spending a few days with the Defender case, the Commuter case feels like the lighter version of the two. It doesn’t offer as much protection, but it still manages to offer drop protection, dust protection and a 1 year warranty.

If I had to choose, I would go with the Defender case, it offers much more for a little more buck!

There isn’t a screen protector on this one, which can be a good thing as I wasn’t a fan of the Defenders screen guard.

The Commuter is marketed as an ‘On-the-Go Protection’ which I can totally agree with. The case fits perfectly in my pocket, unlike the Defender. It’s lighter and easier to hold as well. If you drop the phone, you can trust that it’s covered with the dual layer protection and protruding lip at the front.

I really can’t find fault with this case. I wish it had the same matte finish as the Defender, but the hard plastic makes the case lighter, which I like.